Mailing-folder.



G. M. RAND.

MAILING FOLDER.

APPLIUATIoN FILED ooT.3o. 1913.

2 @Mdm vg.

'I`Ill-f NORRIS PETERS ('O.. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D C

NTED STATES PATENT OFFCE.

GEORGE M. RAND, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAILING-FOLDER.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE M. RAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the'county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mailing- Folders, of which the following is a specification. c

This invention relates to improvements 1n mailing folders and has for its object to provide a folder having fiaps adapted to be folded back one against the other and to contain a post card bearing the address of the person to whom the folder is to be sent with all of said card, with the exception of the portion containing said address, concealed between said flaps, while means are formed on one of said vflaps adapted to interlock with the other of said flaps to retain said folder in its folded state with or without said card therein, said retaining` means also constituting positioning means for said. card.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts whereby the above objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing may be attained, as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a folder embodying my invention folded and locked and in readiness to be sent through the mail. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the folder partially folded and with a card shown in connection therewith. Fig. 3 is a plan View of a modified form of folder with a portion of the outermost flap thereof broken away and shown in section.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 4 is a folder formed of sheet material and comprising an intermediate portion 5 and flaps 6 and 7 formed integral therewith and upon opposite edges, preferably the bottom edge 8 and the top edge 9 respectively. The bottom flap 6 is substantially equal in width to the intermediate portion 5 and is adapted to be folded back against said intermediate portion, while the top Hap 7 is arranged to fold against said bottom Hap and is substantially shorter than said bottom Hap. Means are provided for securing said flaps in their folded positions and consist preferably of tongues 1() formed upon the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 30, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

Serial No. 798,205.

inner flap 6 by partially detaching portions of the material constituting said Hap and these tongues are adapted to engage or interlock with the outermost Hap 7 through slits 11 arranged longitudinally of said flap and adjacent the free edge thereof. The tongues 10 are preferably formed from the material constituting said flap G by slitting said material from points 12 at substantial distances from the edge 8 toward the free edge 13 of said flap, thence inwardly along a line 14 for a short distance and thence downwardly along a line 15 parallel to the lines 12 and terminating in semicircular slits 16 which are also at substantial distances from the edge 8. A post card 17 is adapted to be inserted between the flaps G and 7, the upper edge 18 of said card engaging the crease 19 of said fiap 7, thus positioning said card vertically in one direction. To position the card vertically in the opposite direction the lower corners of said card are adapted to project into the slits forming said tongues 10, the lower edge 20 of said card engaging the curved portions 16 of said slits while the ends of said card engage the edges formed by the slits 12 and position said card laterally relatively to said folder. The card 17 is substantially wider than the flap 7 and consequently projects below the free edge 21 thereof exposing a portion of said Card to view, while upon the exposed portion of said card is printed or written the name of the person or persons to whom the folder is to be sent.

In Fig. 3 l have illustrated afolder similarly constructed in every respect to the folder illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that the tongues 10 are provided at their upper inner corners with projections 2 which, when said tongues are inserted in the slits 11, extend inwardly substantially beyond the ends 28 of said slits and more firmly and positively lock said tongues in engagement with the flap 7 By providing tongues, as hereinbefore described, on one of the flaps and slits in the other flap adapted to be engaged by said tongues, said flaps may be locked in their folded positions independently of the postI card and without necessitating the use of clips or fasteners at the ends of said folders, or in other words said flaps are adapted to interlock with each other and retain said folder in its folded state.

folded positions, the slits forming said tongues adapted to receive the lowermost corners of said card and position said card laterally relatively to said folder and vertically in one direction, with a portion of said card exposed to view, the top of said card adapted to engage the crease of said outermost flap to position said card vertically in the opposite direction.

2. A mailing folder having, in combina- Y tion, an intermediate portion, flaps formed upon the top and bottom edges of said intermediate portion adapted to be folded back one against the other, the outermost of said iaps being shorter than the inner flap, a card arranged between said flaps adapted to engage the crease of said top flap and to project a substantial distance below the free edge of said top flap,said top flap provided with longitudinally disposed slits adjacent the free edge thereof, and tongues formed by slitting the material constituting said bottom ap, said tongues adapted to interlock with the slits in said top fiap to retain said flaps in their folded positions, the slits in said bottom flap terminating at substantial distances from the crease of said bottom ap and adapted to receive the lower oorners of said card and position said card to prevent lateral and downward movement thereof.

3. A mailing folder having, in combination, an intermediate portion, flaps formed at opposite edges of said intermediate portion adapted to be folded one against the other, the outermost of said flaps being substantially shorter than the inner iap and provided with longitudinally arranged slits, tongues formed on said inner flap adapted to interlock with said outermost flap through said slits, said tongues being formed by slitting said inner flap from points sublrstantially removed from the crease of said A`iap toward its free edge, thence inwardly longitudinally of said Hap, and toward the t crease thereof to points substantially nearersaid crease than said starting points, and a card arranged between said flaps adapted to engage the crease of said outermost Hap and project beyond the free edge thereof, the lowermost corners of said card adapted to project into the slits forming said tongues, whereby said card will be positioned longitudinally and transversely relatively to said folder with a portion thereof exposed to View.

4. A mailing folder having, in combination, an intermediate portion, flaps formed at opposite edges of said intermediate portion adapted to be folded one against the other, the outermost of said flaps being substantially shorter than the inner flap and provided with longitudinally arranged slits,

tongues formed on said inner flap adapted to interlock with said outermost flap through said slits, said tongues being formed by slitting said inner flap from points substantially remo-ved from the crease of said flap toward its free edge, thence inwardly longitudinally of said flap, and toward the crease thereof to points substantially nearer said crease than said st-arting points, and terminating in semicircular slits, and a card arranged between said flaps adapted to engage the crease of said outermost flap and project beyond the free edge thereof, the lowermost corne-rs of said card adapted to .project into the slits forming said tongues with the lower edge of said card engaging GEORGE M. RAND.

Witnesses:

SYDNEY E. TAFT, MARGARET E. HORN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents1 each, by addressing theV Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

